•Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries and territories.
•Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans.
•Rabies elimination is feasible through vaccination of dogs and prevention of dog bites.
•Infection causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, mainly in Asia and Africa.
•40% of people bitten by suspect rabid animals are children under 15 years of age.
•Immediate, thorough wound washing with soap and water after contact with a suspect rabid animal is crucial and can save lives.
WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC)
have established a global “United Against Rabies” collaboration to provide a common strategy to achieve "Zero human rabies deaths by 2030".
Rabies is an infectious viral disease that is almost always fatal following the onset of clinical symptoms. In up to 99% of cases, domestic dogs are responsible for rabies virus
transmission to humans. Yet, rabies can affect both domestic and wild animals. It is spread to people through bites or scratches, usually via saliva.
Rabies is present on all continents, except Antarctica, with over 95% of human deaths occurring in the Asia and Africa regions.
SYMPTOMS
Recognizing the Symptoms
of Rabies
The period between the bite and the onset of symptoms is called the incubation period. It usually takes four to 12 weeks for a person to develop rabies symptoms once they’re infected. However, incubation periods can also range from a few days to six years.
The initial onset of rabies begins with flu-like symptoms,
including:
• fever
• muscle weakness
• tingling
You may also feel burning at the bite site.
Prevention
Eliminating rabies in dogs
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable disease. Vaccinating dogs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people.
Dog vaccination reduces deaths attributable to rabies and the need for PEP as a part of dog bite patient care.
Awareness on rabies and preventing dog bites
Education on dog behaviour and bite prevention for both children and adults is an essential extension of a rabies vaccination programme and can decrease both the incidence of human rabies and the financial burden of treating dog bites.
Increasing awareness of rabies prevention and control in communities includes education and information on responsible pet ownership, how to prevent dog bites, and
immediate care measures after a bite. Engagement and ownership of the programme at the community level increases
reach and uptake of key messages. This is what the Kennel Club of Rivers has been doing. Www.fb.com/kennelclubofrivers (go like that page,it's very essential for every dog lover.
Preventive immunization in people
Human rabies vaccines exist for pre-exposure immunization. These are recommended for people in certain high-risk occupations such as laboratory workers handling live rabies
and rabies-related (lyssavirus) viruses; and people (such as animal disease control staff and wildlife rangers) whose professional or personal activities might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, or other mammals that may be infected.
Pre-exposure immunization is also recommended for travellers to rabies-affected, remote areas who plan to spend a lot of time outdoors involved in activities such as caving or mountain-climbing. Expatriates and long-term travellers to areas with a high rabies exposure risk should be immunized if
local access to rabies biologics is limited. Finally, immunization should also be considered for children living in, or visiting,
remote, high-risk areas. As they play with animals, they may receive more severe bites, or may not report bites.
Also;
• Vaccinate your pets.
• Keep your pets from roaming outside.
• Report stray animals to animal control.
• Avoid contact with wild animals.
• Prevent bats from entering living spaces or other structures near your home.
You should report any signs of an infected animal to your local animal control or health departments.
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